Whale Project

Olympic College art student Max Greene of Port Orchard places pieces of plastic bags on a life-size baby gray whale that is the centerpiece of The Whale Project exhibit at OC. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN

Olympic College art students Justine McNeal (left) and Max Greene (right) weave plastic bags into a mesh frame to create an 18-foot baby gray whale Monday at The Gallery at OC on the Bremerton campus. Art students worked throughout the summer to create The Whale Project exhibit, which opens Thursday and examines the life cycle of the gray whale and the threat marine debris poses. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN

Justine McNeal puts the finishing touches on the sculpture Monday. OC students have been working on The Whale Project since the summer as part of an independent study course. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN

Justine McNeal of Port Orchard stretches out a plastic bag. OC students are planning every aspect of the exhibit, from conceptualizing it to providing food for the opening reception. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN

Max Greene pulls on a plastic bag as he works on the tail of the whale Monday in The Gallery at OC. When the exhibit is complete, visitors will be able to see the whale and listen to an audio loop that incorporates voices of OC marine science students and whale sounds. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN